Some shots from the first couple days on the trail

 Springer Mountain...so glad I didn't end my trip at this spot...

Signing the first trail register

 First AM

WHERE'S MOJO??

20 days ago I finished hiking the AT. I have purposely kept away from the blog since then (sorry to those who miss the updates) because I needed a little decompression time. The AT was my world for 6 straight months. I ate, slept, dreamed, walked, talked all things AT. It took over my life as any big endeavor you wish to succeed at should. When I finished, I wanted to get back into "the real world" before writing any post trail update.

I think I've reached that time. Firstly, since coming off the trail, life has been pretty damn good, just like life was on the trail. I moved in with my awesome girlfriend into an apartment in Hoboken, NJ, a city I had not once before in my life visited. I have a lot of exploring to do here and I'm glad I have my best friend with me and 6 months of top notch exploring experience to do so.

I've also begun working! Yes, this crazy, no longer long haired, no longer bushy bearded, (still a) hippie has turned in his hiking poles for the 9-5. Only its nothing like a typical 9-5. I have the good fortune of working with my dad in a business that I allows me to do one of the things I love most - talking to people. I am working with my pops at his small financial advisory firm, located in Red Bank, NJ. Just like I felt on day one of the trail, I realize I have a very long way to go in order to be "successful", however, just like I said on my "about me" page forever ago, my idea of success probably isn't the same as most people's. I didn't need to finish the trail to have a successful hike, just like I don't need to make a whole boat load of money to have a successful career, life, whatever. Finishing the trail was the cherry on top, just as making a lot of money will be.

I spent a good amount of time thinking, brainstorming, and coming up with ideas for my father and the firm. I am thrilled now to be back and able to begin putting those abstract ideas and thoughts down on paper and hopefully turning them into realities. "Vision, without actions, are nothing more than daydreams."

Finally, I was able to upload the 2000+ photos I took while I was on the trail. I'm looking into ways of making them all available for whoever wanted them, but I was also planning on posting up my favorites and writing up the stories that correspond to each. Some might be long, others short. If anything, it will be a way for me, years down the line, to recall a story with a photo.

Here is the first "story with picture"
Hybrid and I started on April 12th. Literally as we walked out of the parking lot where we left Hybrid's dad, The Tuna, we ran into a couple hikers also starting out on their thru hikes. At the time, their names were Dylan and Reese, just as ours were Frank and Adam. We hiked with them the first couple of days and they turned out to be cool guys we expected to be seeing a whole lot of on the trail. On the second day, while the four of us were stopped for lunch, we noticed a down tree, standing at a 45 degree angle. Adam offered up a burger for anyone who dared to climb.

Dylan walked over, inspected the tree, and figured it was a risk with the appropriate reward. So he climbed...

Well after a couple of days, Dylan and Reese sped up ahead our pace and we didn't see them again until we got to Damascus, about a 40 days later. By that point, Dylan had the trail name of Oatmeal (because he ate instant oatmeal straight from the bag) and Reese was "Chill" (becuase he is so chill?). After only briefly seeing them in Damascus, I wouldn't run into these guys again until I got to Lincoln, NH. After seeing them there, I lost them again, thinking we would never meet back up. As fate would have it, I bumped into them once more in northern Maine and was able to hike most of the way north with them. Even though we were always only a couple days apart from each other, we really only hiked together a handful of times. But the great thing is - we summited Katahdin on the same day! Here is the April 12 summit team picture:

Awesome guys and glad I was able to meet and re-meet them on a couple occasions. Oh, and Hybrid still owes Oatmeal a burger.

Day 179 - Mt Katahdin

Woooooooooooohooooooo!!!

At 11:45am on October 7th, I reached the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. As I approached the iconic sign atop the mountain- a moment I had been thinking about for well longer than the length of my trip-a feeling of accomplishment, satisfaction, and relief swept over me. Some people yelled and screamed. Others cried. It was a wild range of emotions. For me, my arrival yielded a silent smile from my lips and my eyes. I was there. I was done. I was happy.

I snapped a couple of pictures, exchanged congratulations with my friends already atop and sat on a rock. While I was eating my victory twix and drinking my victory PBR, I looked out at the miles of wild, natural, and beautiful landscape. In the time I've been in the woods, a lot has happened to me, you, the world. So much has happened, but it all still seems the same. I'm no different than I was 6 months ago. My hair is longer and beard is out of control, but I'm still the same person. It is now up to me to take what I've learned in the past (about myself, community, nature, anything) and use the knowledge to build my future.

After about an hour up top, it was time to go. I put my backpack on and prepared for my journey back down. Prepared for my journey back to what the thru hikers call "the real world". I may not always know where I'm going here on out and I hope it always stays that way. Live life like the adventure it's supposed to be and you'll always be on the trail. Just make sure your shoes are tied :)

Thanks for reading

-Mojo

100 mile wilderness

Apologies for lack of updates. The service in Maine has been limited, but I kind of like an excuse to be out of touch.

I love Maine. I really, really love Maine. This state has been fantastic. The lakes, the moose, the people, the views, the terrain, the hiking...I could go on and on. It's all been fantastic. I've also had some great, spontaneous adventures, such as swimming in a "pond" (seemed like a lake to me), kayaking in a lake, and whitewater rafting on the Kennebec River. I've run into old friends and made many new ones. It's been a magical experience and its almost all over.

Tomorrow I begin the 100 mile wilderness. Its called the 100 mile wilderness because there aren't any road crossings through the stretch. So I have to carry 100 miles worth of food. Once I am through the 100 mile wilderness, the finish line, Mt. Katahdin lies just about 15 miles ahead. And then this whole journey is over. One week left. A lot of emotions running through my bones right now, but I excitement is most prominent. This has been a wild adventure full of unexpected twists and turns. Lets see what the next 100 miles hold!

-Mojo

Day 163 recap

Yesterday was what I like to call a "crappy hiking day". It was cold, raw, wet, and cloudy. Conditions were unfavorable and when I reached a shelter, 9 miles from the start of my day, I was grateful to eat lunch under a roof. After spending about 40 mins there, I was having trouble motivating myself to continue on to a campsite where I was planning on spending the night. I eventually realized that whether or not I continued on for the day, the outcome the following day would be the same (I was planning on resupplying in Stratton, ME). Thus, if it did not matter if I hiked on, I decided my best course of action was keeping my soul and mind at ease at the shelter, staying warm, and relaxing.

This morning I woke up early and had a beautiful hiking day. I had fantastic views and warm sunshine all throughout the day. My decision to call it a day early the day before was clearly the right one as I easily made it to town today, in fantastic conditions. I really think that knowing your environment and how it affects your mind and body leads to the ability to make the most sound decisions.

The weather forecast isn't pretty for the next week. It's calling for a lot of rain. A lot of it. I think I need to do a little psyche-up session this evening in the comfort of the hostel I'm at to prepare for the "crappy hiking days" that lie ahead.



I know I can. I know I can. I know I can!




Moooooooose!













Hangin out in the shelter on my half day! Cup of hot chocolate. Mmmm

Brrr

Ive been moving inconsistently through maine. I hike a 20 and 17 last week as well as 8-11 mile days. Its been obvious how my food consumption affects my day. On the days I don't eat enough, my legs feel tired, lethargic and sometimes exhausted. I've since decided to buy an extra days worth of food in towns and make sure I am eating enough.

It's also been pretty cold of late. That's fine by me because a 50 degree, sunny day of hiking is about as good as you can get in my opinion. Once the sun goes down the temperature has been really falling and making the whole sleep thing a little chilly. Last couple of nights I have slept in every piece of clothing I have out here.

Maine has been beautiful so far. I really love it out here and am looking forward to pushing ahead to the finish line. Woot woot!

Maine

I made it to Maine the other day. What a feeling. I still have over 250 miles to the finish line, but getting into the final state has a certain mental accomplishment feel. To be completely honest, I wasn't sure how far I would make it when I started. To be in the last state of this journey really feels special. And so far, the trail in the state has been pretty spectacular.

First off, the terrain is tough! It is beautiful, unique, and has a Georgia meets New Hampshire feel. I hiked through a boulder field the other day- about a mile in length - that took me over 2 hours. I was scaling, crawling, and maneuvering through boulders up to 20 feet tall. It was really wild. There were also small crevices where I had to take my backpack off and crawl through tiny spaces that would make the claustrophobic really tremble. Below the boulders, I could hear spring water flowing and feel the cool air from caves still containing ice. In my AT guide, it listed this mile as "either the most difficult or most fun mile on the AT." I think it was both.

Afterwards, I made it atop the next mountain and slept beneath an old fire tower where I planned to catch a great sunset and sunrise. Unfortunately, a cloud formation moved in and blocked that hope. However, at around 10pm, I couldn't fall asleep and got out of my hammock. I walked out to the fire tower clearing and the entire area was illuminated by the nearly full moon. A pretty cool sight. Everything from the mountains across the valley below to the rock formations around me were lit by the clean, white glow of the moon. I don't think I've ever seen something like it.

I still have a lot of miles to log and tough terrain to cross, but I can feel the end getting closer. This trail has already given me so much, I am excited and anxious to see what the next 250+ miles hold. Living life one step at a time!